Milking machine



y 4, 1954 E. DOMINGO 2,677,348

MILKING MACHINE Filed J,u1 9, 1948 AL FIG. I.

mllrlz 1 I I r INVENTOR 72 z 1/. DOM/N60 ATTORNEY Patented May 4, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MILKING MACHINE Emil Domingo, New York, N. Y.

Application July 9, 1948, Serial No. 37,909

6 Claims. (01. 11914.46)

My invention relates to a milking machine.

Although there are many types of vacuumoperated milking machines in wide use, there seems to be the common failing that each system permits contaminated drippings from the vacuum lines, from the air hose, from the rubber inflation, from the pulsator, and from other parts of the system to fall into the milk, thereby impairin the quality of the milk and in many cases providing a health hazard for the consumer.

It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide an improved milking machine wherein the above-indicated possible sources of contamination may be completely eliminated, so that higher quality milk may be mor consistently obtained and so that health hazards may be substantially reduced.

It is another object to provide an improved milking apparatus wherein drippings cannot accumulate to a dangerous extent in the vacuum lines.

It is an object to meet the above objects with a simple apparatus in which a clear visual check may be made of such drippings as may be accumulated in critical parts of the vacuum system.

It is a specific object to provide a milking system meeting the above objects and at the same time employing as much as possible of the equipment now in use, whereby minimum modification need be involved.

It is another specific object to provide means to be interposed in the vacuum connection between a vacuum-operated pulsator and a milk pail for trapping any fluids passing from the pulsator toward th milk pail, whereby said fluids may not be permitted to contaminate milk in the pail.

Other objects and various further features of the invention will be pointed out or will occur to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In said drawings, which show, for illustrative purposes only, a preferred form of the invention:

Fig. l is a more or less'diagrammatic view of a part of a milk barn in which there is installed a vacuum-operated system incorporating features or" the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in partial section of a milking apparatus, which may be one of a number connected to the system of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of another part of the system of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modification of part of the apparatus of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating an alternative arrangement for part of the machine of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 to illustrate a still further alternative arrangement.

Briefly stated, my invention contemplates the employment of suitable trap means in a vacuum operated milking system for assuring that there can be no return flow of drippings or other fluid accumulations from the vacuum end or from the air-inlet end of the system back into the milk pail. In the forms to be described, I employ such trap means in the normal vacuum connection between the pulsator and the milk pail. If desired, further trap means may be installed between the vacuum line and the connection to the pulsator so as to prevent the direct flow of fluid accumulations in said line back to the milk pail. Several alternative forms of the attachment are shown in the application of the trap between the pulsator and the milk-pail cover.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, I show my invention as applied to a vacuum sys tem installed in a milk house having plurality of stanchion positions or stations [9-1 ll2I3- l ll5. These positions may be arranged in groups, such as the group of stanchion positions I0 through It, and the groups may be separated by cross walks, such as the cross walk It between stanchion positions 14-45. At an end of the milk house there may be another cross walk I 5 adjacent and leading to a milk-cooler shed or room l8. All stanchion positions It through l5 may be supplied by a common vacuum line or pipe l9 extending generally horizontally and including a cock 20 with a suitable outlet or fitting at each stanchion position, for operation of the milking apparatus at each particular stanchion location. At the cross walks Itli, the vacuum line l9 may be raised, as at 2l22, in order to permit suificient head clearance, and the vacuum line l9 may be evacuated by conventional pumping equipment 23. In the form shown, the raised pipe connection 22 supplies an additional cook 24 in the milk shed or cooler 18, for use of the vacuum supply in cleaning certain parts of the apparatus.

At any particular stanchion position the milking apparatus may be more or less conventional and may be operated :by a removable rubberhose connection to the open end of the vacuum outlet, as guarded by the cock 29. For purposes of simplicity, the milking apparatus is shown to include only one teat cup 26 having a direct in-- nation-hose connection 2? to a pulsator 28 and minute. "the system, it is preferably located at a level above containing a rubber inflation 29 with a direct milk connection 39 to a milk-inlet fitting 3 I, carried by the cover 32 of a milk pail 3. The pulsator unit 28 may include a customary check valve 43. To complete the system there is a vacuum connection between the supply line l9 and the interior of the milk pail 33, and in the forms shown this connection is by way of the vacuum chamber or chest of the pulsator 28.

In accordance'with a feature of the invention, I provide trap means between the milk pail 33 on one side, and the pulsator inflation hose 2?, vacuum hose 25, and check valve 43. In the form shown in Fig. 2 this trap is supported by bracket means 34 secured to the milk-pail cover 32. The trap may include a vessel 35 preferably removably secured, as by a bayonet fit, to a cover 36 carried by the bracket 34. A first connection 31 to the trap may extend from the inside of the top of the cover 32 to the inside of the top of thetrap.

j A second connection 33to' the trap preferably extends to a lower part of the trap and connects said lower part with the vacuum chest 33 of the *pulsator 28. The trap vessel 35 and its cover or closure 3E maybe'sealedby suitable gasket means may alternately expose a second chest :32 within the pulsator 28 first to an evacuated pressure then to atmospheric pressure in order to achieve the desired operation of the rubber inflation '29; the alternating cycle between these pressures may recur at a steady rate of 50 to 60 pulsations per If a check valve is to be employed in the level at which the connection 38 may draw fluid from the trap chamber 35, and also above 'the'level at which the "flexible vacuum hose 25 is connected to the pulsator vacuum chest 39; in

the form of Fig. 2, a check-valve'member 43 is seated within the lower pulsator chest 39 and the upper end of the evacuating connectiontii. To complete a description of the system shown,

further trap means'may be'employed between the vacuum line l and the vacuum connection of the pulsator 28, and such trap means may-com veniently be mounted and held at the connection of the air cock 28 to the line l9. Again, I prefer that a part of the trap be removable, and in the form shown I employ a glass jar 45,'which may be 5.

a so-called Masoncanning jar, so that clear observation-may be had of any accumulation of fluids in the jar 45. For'convenience, the cover 45 for the jar 35 maybe of metal and fixedly mounted at a stanchion outlet. The cover 48 may carry an inlet fitting'd'l and a'pipe 2-5 connected to the cock and'extending to a lower part of the bottle or jar :5. The inlet-connection 4! preferably discharges into 'jar :15 at a level well above the level at which the pipe 48 may draw pressurizing of the inflation hose 27, as aresult of which action the interspace between the rubber inflation 29 'and theteat cup 26 may accumulate dirt and condensation drippings.

' taminated fluid could flow into the pipe 33, only to drip directly into the milk pail 33. It will be "understood that with my trap, however, the drippings may be discharged into the vessel 35 for subsequent removal down the rubber hose by suction.

Normally, the rubber-hose connection 25 from the 'pulsator 23 to the stanchion vacuum outlet will, due to its length and weight, be flexed down- "wardbefore rising to the stanchion-outlet con- "motion.

This dip from the outlet of the pulsator may provide another location for the accumulation of dangerously contaminated fluids, as indicated schematically by the reference numeral 49. Further contaminated 'fluids, including contaminated milkthat may have been "pumped 'into the vacuum-supply system when a pail 33 was allowed to become too full, may accumulate in the vacuum-supply pipe I!) itself, and

"the level of such an accumulation of fluid is schematically indicated at 59.

Now it frequently occurs in the'cperation of a milk house, with equipment such as that which has been described, that a vacuum hose, such'as the hose 25, is carelessly removed from a stanchion connection or cook 26 without shutting off the cock. Such careless removal will be understood immediately to collapse the vacuum so as to admit atmospheric air into the vacuum line 19. If this carelessness should have occurred, say, at the stanchion position it, it will be appreciated that there may besuch a rush of atmospheric air "into the vacuum system as to pick up the fluid "50 within the vacuum line l9 and completely to fill the pipe [9 with such fluid. 'The fiuid will then be rapidly sucked in. a Wavedown the vacuum line [9 and towards the pumping'apparatus 23. As'the Wave of fluid created by this disturbance passes successive stanchion outlets, say the outlet for the stanchion position !2, there is opportunity for a substantial flow of fluid back toward the pail 33 at the stanchion position 12, and,'we're -it not for my provision of the traps 45. such flow could occur. It will be understood, however, that 'a trap 45 may be of sufficient capacity (a onequart glass canning jar is preferred, for its ready 'availability'at most farm houses) to contain all 'the'fiuid 50 thatmay be forced into the apparatus at the stanchion position l2 by a disturbance of the character'indicated. The same safety feature may be said to characterize the trap 45 at each of the succeeding stanchion positions ll-li3, and it will be appreciated that all traps may be adequate' to contain any onrush of contaminated fluid.

For emphasis, I have indicated how carelessness may be the cause of pumping fluids into the various milking equipments, for entrapment in traps 45. The implication may be that traps are useful primarily as a precaution against carelessness, but this is certainly not the case. The same type of disturbance may also arise under-the nmost carefully controlled circumstances whenever another milk pail is connected to the vacuum line [9, for it will be appreciated that until the interior of the pail 33 (and other parts of each equipment) is evacuated, there is a relatively large supply of air at atmospheric pressure available to disturb the fluids in line L! when the cook 26 is opened.

Upon restoration of a steady vacuum in line I9, there may be an oversupply of fluid 50 in the vacuum line it. To anticipate this eventuality I provide, in accordance with another feature of the invention, for automatically drawing off this excessive fluid. In 3, I show how a further trap 52 may be included in the vacuum line l9 at the pump end of the group of stanchion outlets 24]. The vacuum line l9 may be bent downwardly and fixedly secured to a cover 54 from which the trap 52 may be readily removed, and an exhaust connection 53 to the vacuum pump 23 may also be secured to the cover 54. To facilitate inspection of accumulations in the trap vessel 52, I prefer that this vessel be a glass jar and, for the size installation shown, a standard gallon bottle with a screw-cap mouth may be perfectly adequate.

Should the indicated type of disturbance occur in the stanchion group which begins with stanchion position !5, it will be appreciated as being desirable that such disturbance should not reflect upon operation of the milking apparatus in use at one or more of the stanchion positions M lt. To offset the eifects of such a disturbance a further trap .55 like the trap 52 may be installed in the vacuum line just before the rise 2| over the cross walk I6. In this manner, it will be clear that each group of stanchion positions may be served by the same vacuum line while drip accumulations in the line for each bank of stanchion positions may be held to a minimum.

In order to minimize the drawing off of milk from the pail 33 to the trap 35, I prefer that the vacuum line 3? project a minimum inwardly of the milk-pail cover 32. I further prefer that at the point where this line 3-! opens into the interior of the milk pail there be a substantial enlargement of internal pipe area, as at a flared or bellshaped termination 56. With such flaring, it will be understood that, even though splash droplets within the pail 33 may form on the mouth of the flared portion at, the effective suction or flow into this mouth may be so substantially reduced as not to entrain such droplets in the vacuum line 31.

As a protection against the possible flow of contaminated drippings from the trap 35 down the vacuum connection 3? and into the pail 33, I prefer that the inlet connection 3! not only be connected to discharge near the upper end of the vessel 35, but that this inlet be centrally located in the cover 3% of the vessel 35. With such an arrangement, it will be understood that, regardless of the degree of tip of the pail 33 and of the trap 35 carried thereby. there may be least chance of contaminated fluids ever splashing into the line 37. Further, and as a means for reducing the splashing (see Fig. 4), I provide means for reducing the rate of flow of any fluids that may fall into the pipe connection 33 between the trap chamber 35 and the vacuum chest 39 of the pulsator 28. In Fig. 4, this means is shown to include a conically flared lower portion 58 in the pipe 38, so that, if there should be a back flow. the speed of such back now may be substantially reduced at the lower end of the pipe 38, thus reducing the tendency to splash contaminated fluid within the vessel 35.

In Fig. 5. I show an alternative arrangement employing the above-described principles, the arrangement being particularly useful in a unitary cover construction for the milk pail 33. In Fig. 5, the milk-pail cover 68 may be of conventional design and include a milk-inlet fitting 6! for connection to the milk hose 333. The underside of the cover 60 may also support the cover 62 for the trap 63 to be located between the milk pail and the pulsator 28; although the member 62 has been called a cover, it will be understood that any suitable retaining means carried by the milk pail cover 60 and sealingly engageable with the trap chamber 63 may suffice. The vacuum con nection between the trap 53 and the milk pail may include a first fitting 64 carried by the cover 60 and opening directly into the pail as at the flared or bell mouth 65. A further fitting 65 is preferably centrally located in the upper part of chamber 63 and may be secured to the cover 69, with an opening to the outer side thereof. For ease of cleaning there may be a rubber connection 61 between the two fittings 65fi6. As in the case of the previously described arrangement, a pipe 33 extending into trap 53 from the vacuum chest 39 of the pulsator 28 may serve for exhausting the trap 63.

Another convenient alternative constructionis shown in Fig. 6, and again all parts may be removably carried by the cover 69 of the milk pail. Again, there may be an inlet fitting It for connection to the milk hose 30, and the connection It may be carried by the cover 59. In contrast with the arrangement of Fig. 5, the trap chamber ll may be inverted so as to project upwardly from the cover 59. The trap chamber H is, however, preferably removably secured to the cover 69 as by suitable bayonet clips 12, the connection being sealed by gasket means 76. In the arrangement of Fig. 6, a vacuum line between the trap H and the pail may be served by a single pipe fitting 73, which may be fixedly supported by the cover 69 and project preferably substantially to the upper limit of the interior of the trap chamber 7 i If desired, the pipe fitting i3 may be formed with a flared mouth 14 at its lower end, as will be clear. As in the case of other described arrangements. the outlet line for the trap chamber H is preferably open within chamber ii at a level substantially lower than the upper end of pipe fitting I3, and this outlet line it may be connected to the line [9 via the vacuum chest 39 of the pulsator 28. If a check valve is to be employed, it may be located within the pulsator, as in the case of the check valve 43 for the pulsator of Fig. 2, but in Fig. 6, I show a check valve 15 at the top of the pipe fitting 13. It will of course be clear that, if desired, check valves such as valves 15-43 (i. e. a check valve in the trap chamber, and a check valve in the pulsator) may both be employed in the apparatus of Fig. 6.

It will be appreciated that I have described an ingenious but relatively simple improvement for milking machines. The improvement may provide assured isolation of the fresh milk from a number of sources of contamination, thus not only making possible the maintenance of consistently high quality in the collected milk but also reducing a health hazard. My improved system provides a means for draining contaminated accumulations so that these accumulations may not become dangerously large, and a visual check of the accumulations is at all times possible. Perhaps the most important feature of the improvement is its ready adaptability to existing systems with little or no structural change.

While I have described my invention in detail ,for the preferredforms shown, it will be understood that modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined. in the appended claims.

,I claim:

1. A milker unit comprising a receptacle having a removable cover adapted to support a pulsator, a milk inlet connection mounted on said .cover, said cover including a centrally positioned container projecting downwardly into said receptacle, said container including a fluid trap chamher. a closure member for said chamber, said closure member including a horizontally extending top, a tubular connecting member extending upwardly from said closure member, said connecting member being adapted to communicate with a pulsator, a conduit in communication with said connecting member, said conduit extending downwardly and having an open end positioned substantially adjacent the bottom of said trap chamber, a check valve engageable with said connecting member for blocking the flow of liquid in one direction through said conduit, means providing for communication between said receptacle and said trap chamber including a flexible U-shaped conduit, and means connecting said U-shaped conduit to said olosure'member and said cover in an inverted position.

2. A milker unit comprising a receptacle having a removable cover, a fluid trap connected to said cover, said trap including a chamber, a closure member for said chamber, a connecting member connected to the closure member, said connecting member being adapted to support a pulsator to provide for communication between the pulsator and the chamber, a conduit communicating with said connecting member, said conduit having one end projecting into the chamber and substantially adjacent the lower portion thereof, means providing for communication between said chamber and said receptacle, said means including an inverted. flexible U-shaped conduit connected to the cover and extending upwardly above said trap and in communication with the chamber substantially adjacent the center of the same.

3. As an article of manufacture for use in a milking machine of the character indicated, a cover for a milk-receiving receptacle, a container carried by said cover forproviding a fluid trap, means for removably closing said container, a pulsator connecting member carried withsaid cover in communication with said container, said connecting member being adapted for direct connection oi the fluid trap to a source of vacuum within the pulsator, and means including an inverted U-shaped flexible conduit connected to and projecting upwardly from said cover, said flexible member being connected to provide for continual communication between said container and the receptacle to which said cover may be fitted.

4. A milker unit comprising a receptacle having a removable cover, a milk inlet connection for said receptacle, a container connected to said cover, said container including a fluid trap chamber, a removable closure member for said chamber, a tubular connecting member extending up wardly from said closure member, said connecting member being adapted to support and comi8 municate with avacuum operated pulsating device, a check valve engageable with saidcon- -;necting member for blocking the flow of liquid in one direction through said member, a conduit communicating with said connecting member, said conduit having one end positioned substan- .tially adjacent the lower portion of said chamber, and an inverted U-shaped flexible conduit connecting the upperportion of said chamber ,only with said receptacle and providing the sole fluid-conducting means opening into the upper portion of said chamber.

5. In a vacuum-operated milking system wherein milk is drawn into a milker pail from :a milking line under vacuum supplied to the .pail interior, the combination of a cover member for the milker pail having a milk inlet connection and a vacuum connection, a trap comprising a vertically disposed vessel and a detachable closure, a laterally extend ng bracket affixed said closure, said trap also including a second conduit extending through said closure to a point adjacent the bottom of said vessel and operatively connected with a source of vacuum, and a pulsator mounted on said trap and operatively connected with said second conduit.

'6.'As an article of manufacture for use in a milkingmachine of the character indicated, a milk-pail cover to fit a milk pail, milk-inlet means carried by said cover for discharging milk into the pail, a trap including a vessel with an open end, means removably and sealingly engaging the open end of said vessel with the underside of said cover, fluid-conducting means opening at one end to the inside of said cover and at the other end'to an upper part of the inside of said vessel, and'further fluid-conducting means opening at one end to a lower part of said vessel and extending to the outside of said cover for connection to vacuum-supply means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 849,521 Worcester Apr. 9, 1907 1,111,562 Burrell Sept. 22, 1914 1,344,140 Macartney June 22, 1920 1,393,337 McCornack Oct. 11, 1921 1,394,433 Leitch Oct. 18, 1921 1,398,230 Hall NOV. 29, 1921 1,428,670 Williams et a1. Sept. 12, 1922 1,526,471 Frost Feb. 17, 1925 1,534,939 Fuge 1 Apr. 21, 1925 1,559,315 Daysh Oct. 27, 1925 1,786,846 Hodsdon Dec. 30, 1930 1,798,413 Graves Mar. 31, 1931 2,003,590 Hapgood June 4, 1935 2,253,341 Michaels Aug. 19, 1941 2,304,746 Anderson Dec. 8, 1942 2,340,454 Conde Feb. 1, 1944 2,380,771 McDonald July 31, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 113,623 Australia Aug. 6, 1941 121,631 Australia June 24, 1946 

